Welcome
Welcome to my website, your resource for freelance editorial services. I have more than fifteen years of experience in copyediting, substantive editing, proofreading, writing, and document management, including more than eight years as a full-time freelancer. I have edited more than one hundred nonfiction books, more than five hundred articles, and numerous blog posts and other website content. In my previous corporate life, I developed and edited hundreds of proposals, advertising copy, marketing collateral, press releases, software documentation, presentations, conference proceedings, white papers, sales materials, business plans, procedures, and other documents.
About My Services
I routinely use various industry-standard style manuals and readily adapt to house style or authors' preferences. Normally I edit with track changes in Microsoft Word, but occasionally I edit on hard copy using standard editing marks. The tasks I normally perform include improving flow, correcting grammar and punctuation, checking facts, ensuring that the text correctly discusses the art, cross-checking numbered elements and tables of contents, formatting references lists, applying typecoding or template styles, and numerous other details that are specific to any given project. I always develop a thorough project style sheet and watch for potential permissions issues. I ask pertinent questions and anticipate how decisions in the current editorial stage will affect subsequent production issues.
Editorial Approach
In my first editorial pass, I usually focus on the finer details of mechanics, style, and consistency; in my second pass I review those details and evaluate the overall flow. For substantive editing, I usually do the passes in reverse order. I consider myself to be both the author's and the reader's best ally. Authors write to convey their message to readers, and it is my job to facilitate this communication. I put myself in the reader's shoes and ask the questions a reader might ask. This can include everything from clarifying the overall structure of a document or section to clarifying seemingly contradictory or confusing passages or terminology.
Working Relationships
My goal is to maintain collaborative relationships with the production staff and authors, yet I am an effective independent editor. I always respect the author's voice and subject matter expertise. At the same time, I stay tuned in to the needs of the production staff and alert them of any possible issues that require special attention or handling. Because I understand that books are products and publishing is a business, I have a strong reputation for staying on schedule and within budget.
Rates
My hourly, page, or project rate is negotiable depending on the complexity of the project and the required turnaround time. I can provide a quote for your project based on a representative sample of the manuscript. My fees are consistent with the Editorial Freelancers Association's schedule of common rates. In keeping with industry standard, I define one page as 250 words.